


As Close As They Could

by orphan_account



Series: Tumblr Fic Requests [12]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Coping, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kid-fic, Mentioned Tragedy, Mentions of Death, platonic ereri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-24 21:44:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4936432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things would never quite be okay. But, they could be close enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Close As They Could

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bloopedyblap](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloopedyblap/gifts).



Levi was nineteen when his sister died. A home invasion gone wrong, was what the official police report read. His brother-in-law died as well, and he wasn't quite sure on the details of how his niece survived, or got away from the men who'd kidnapped her. To be entirely honest, he couldn't bring himself to care too much.

All that mattered was that she'd survived. Levi, being her last living relative, had ended up as her new guardian. But she came with some baggage he hadn't planned on, and hadn't been too thrilled about. When he brought his niece Mikasa home, he'd alro brought her 'brother,' Eren, home along. He'd become a single father to two four year old orphans rescued from the same ring of kidnappers. He hadn't even had time to mourn the deaths of his sister and brother-in-law, having found out at the same time he'd been asked to come pick them up.

Now, he sat in a chair placed across from the sofa, the two small children sitting side-by-side, hand clasped between them and silently staring back at him. They hadn't come with much, Eren even less than Mikasa, and he let out a sigh as he broke the silence.

"We're going to be living with each other for a long time. This is as new to me as it is to two you, so we're going to have to figure this out together. You with me?" he asked, and they didn't answer, Mikasa moving a hand to her mouth and sucking on a finger instead. Levi grimaced, reaching out to pull her hand away. Except Eren's hand was latching onto his wrist, nails digging through flesh and cutting his skin. The grip was strong, and the boy's face didn't change at all as he said, his words filled with a rage that only showed in the cold stare he fixed on Levi.

 "Don't. Touch. Her."

The blood welled under tiny fingers, running in small rivulets over his wrist and forming a glistening bracelet that dripped onto the carpet. He didn't yank his hand away, staring back at Eren until the boy was looking _at_ him instead of _through_ him.

"Eren, you can let go. Mikasa's fine, I was only going to move her fingers out of her mouth. Mikasa, can you take your fingers out of your mouth, please?" he asked her, his eyes moving to look at her as he spoke. She nodded, scooting closer to Eren and pulling her hand away and back to her lap, saliva covering the two digits she had been chewing on. When she did, Eren's fingers loosened, and Levi carefully tugged his arm free.

"It's not nice to hurt people, Eren," he told the boy, turning his attention back on him. "If you want something, you ask. If you need something, you ask. You have words, use them. I will listen, I promise you that."

Bright eyes welled with tears, sobs coming from an opened mouth, and then a face pressed against his shoulder, Levi moving to rest his hand against Eren's hair, cradling him close.

He wasn't sure how two had survived, how they escaped their kidnappers, but he would have killed them in a heartbeat. The only problem was, they were already dead. Mikasa came to lean against Eren, pressing into Levi's other side, fingers back in her mouth. He didn't bother trying to get her to remove them this time, just letting the two of them use him as a giant tissue.

* * *

"So, heard you're a daddy now. Who's the unfortunate girl who saddled you with twins?"

Hanji dropped into the chair across from Levi, the table jostling at the force and almost knocking his cup over. Eren and Mikasa were at the preschool across the street, sitting near the window and playing with a stack of blocks. Levi could see them easily from where he sat, and he knew that every time they looked out the window, they could see him in return.

"My _sister,_ you fucker," Levi snapped, anger flooding him. "My _dead_ sister."

Hanji was anything but stupid, despite how they acted most of the time, and it didn't take long for them to realize they'd stepped on a major landmind.

"Oh my fuck," they said, their voice softening. "I'm so sorry, Levi. I didn't know, Mike said he saw you with them a few weeks ago, but no one knew... I'm sorry. I'm a piece of shit."

"You are, but that's nothing new," Levi said, picking up his drink and taking a sip, eyes darting to the preschool window. Two sets of eyes were looking back at him, and he saw Eren give a little wave. Levi smiled slightly, and the most annoying coo brushed the shell of his ear.

"Oh my god, they're _adorable_! How long have you...?" they asked, and Levi sighed, closing the binder he'd been working out of and giving his friend his full attention.

"A month. They started preschool today... they don't do well alone. I have class to catch up on anyway, so I figured studying here wasn't a bad idea. This is the first time we've been apart since they came home with me."

"What's their story, if I might ask?"

Levi told them; if anyone would understand, it was Hanji. They were pulling a double major in child psychology and forensics, with a minor in criminal studies. A certified genius, the workload seemed to barely phase them. Levi was barely making it through his own courses, and he hadn't declared a major yet. When he finished, Hanji hummed, watching the two still sitting in the window, theories dancing behind their eyes.

"Have they... talked about it at all? How they got away?"

"No. No one's sure. They were found in a cabin near my sister's home, four dead bodies in the room with them. They were identified as the kidnappers and murderers of my sister, except one. Eren's biological father."

"Did the dad--"

"I _just_ said no one knows, Hanji," Levi cut in. "They're not stable enough to push. Eren... he's in the worst shape between the two. Mikasa, she's mainly quiet, okay as long as she has Eren in sight. Eren, though..." His fingers touched the scars left from those little nails in his wrist. "He's volatile. He wakes up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder. He reacts violently to any suggestion of harm or ill intent against my niece, and there are times he's not _there._ I'm not cut out for this, Hanj."

"He needs a therapist, Levi. They both do. If you want my opinion, _all three of you_ need therapy. Have you even had the chance to mourn the loss of your sister? Have you gotten your own problems under control, let alone theirs? You just became a parent, to _two_ kids, that's a huge-ass change for anyone! It's not like you had time to ease into this. You didn't have nine months to warm up to the idea. You were just living your days as a teenage college student and, BAM!"

They slammed their hand down on the table, knocking Levi's drink to the sidewalk. Everyone around them was staring, but neither of them cared as they locked eyes.

"Just like that, you gained two children. Two four year olds who lived through something awful. They probably watched their parents die. They're old enough to understand that, Levi. They need to _talk_ about it, to learn to _handle_ that. In that same concept, _you_ need to learn how to live with that too. There's nothing wrong with admitting you have no idea what you're doing."

Levi let his gaze shift, the two young faces looking at him in the preschool window concerned. Eren was glaring at Hanji, and Levi nodded. Hanji smiled brightly, and patted Levi on the shoulder.

"Great. I know someone who'd be great for this, I'll let them know of what's going on and they'll call you."

Hanji left Levi sitting there, staring at the window he could no longer see through. The sun was hitting the glass pane at just the right angle as to reflect only glare into his eyes.

* * *

Six months ago, he never would have thought he'd wake up to two small bodies pressed against his side, but then again, six months ago his sister was alive and he never planned on having kids.

That was six months ago. That morning, he was reaching for the phone, which was buzzing enthusiastically on the end table, trying not to jostle Eren awake as he reached over him. The display on the phone showed a reminder that today he was meeting with Dr. Braus, while Eren and Mikasa would have a joint session with Dr. Arlert. They scheduled their times to overlap, their offices in the same building, and it worked out well.

It hadn't worked well at _first,_ neither of the kids wanting to be out of Levi's sight. But that was five months ago. Now, as long as Levi was waiting for them right outside of Arlert's office, they were fine. If Levi ran late... well, he had been able to hear Eren's screams from a floor away.

 It hadn't happened again.

"Today's an Armin day," Eren mumbled sleepily, and Levi stroked his hand over his hair absently, laying back down on the bed. The small boy scooted closer, his head tucked under Levi's chin as little fists curled into his shirt.

"It is. Today's a Sasha day for me, too."

"Sasha gave me a cookie. She's nice." Levi hummed his agreement, and then he felt hands latching on to the back of his shirt, the tickle of hair on the back of his neck as Mikasa scooted closer to him as well.

"Sasha's nice," Mikasa whispered. She still wasn't speaking much, and if she did speak, it was never very loud. It also tended to be a repeat whatever Eren had just said, but Dr. Arlert assured him it was still progress. That, one day, she'd be able to speak confidently on her own, using her own thoughts.

_She still has them, they're just hidden,_ Levi remembered the doctor saying. _She's still too afraid to speak them. She feels safer using Eren's thoughts, letting Eren speak for her. As she continues to heal from the trauma, she'll become more independent._

"Would you like to make her a thank you gift?" Levi asked them, and he felt two little nods.

Six months ago, if someone had told him he'd willingly trash his kitchen in an attempt to make cookies for his therapist, he'd have told them they were the ones who needed a shrink. But, that was six months ago.

All three were covered in flour, dough, and sugar. Mikasa looked like she could have auditioned for a role in The Grudge, her dark hair dusted white, her dark eyes bright and shining out of a too-pale face. Eren was no better, cookie dough in different stages of completion covering his arms, shirt, hair, and face, as he demanded to be the one in charge of mixing the dough.

Levi came out the best, but still not without some collateral damage. His hair also had a fine coat of flour, some splatters of batter on his shirt and arm, and sugar on his shoes from where Mikasa knocked the bag over. But the cookies were done, plated, and being sampled by two small mouths. Levi watched as they ate their cookies, a fond warmth settling in his chest.

Six months ago, he wouldn't have known he could be this content in a trashed kitchen.

* * *

"Levi! It's time to get up! Levi, Levi, Levi!"

Eren's high-pitched voice, reaching even higher than normal in his excitement, jarred Levi from his sleep. He threw a hand over his eyes, trying to block out the inevitable return to consciousness, but with Eren crushing his ribs, knocking all the wind out of him in his eagerness, there wasn't a shred of hope in succeeding. He finally pushed at Eren, the boy falling onto the bed with a bounce and a giggle, and he could hear his niece echo the amusement on the other side.

"It's today! It's today! You gotta get up, remember?! You promised we were having waffles today, because it's a special day!"

_Oh, yes,_ Levi remembered suddenly, more alert. Kindergarten started today. He had told Eren he'd make waffles for their first day of school. Today.

He threw an arm out, catching the young boy and pushing him back down to the bed, where Levi proceeded to roll over on him enough to squish him into the mattress, but not smother him entirely or leave him unable to breathe.

"Leeeevi!" he whined, and Levi pretended to snore. The giggling grew louder, and Mikasa pounced on his back.

"I'll save you, Eren!" she cried, fingers wiggling under his arms to the sensitive skin hidden there. The tickle fight didn't last long - if it did, Mikasa tended to start panicking - but it was enough to brighten the mood, to try and ease the pain of the inevitable departure.

This would be the first time they were leaving to go somewhere, and Levi wouldn't be following close behind, just a window separating them. He had to start going to his own classes, the few he had scheduled at the campus falling into the same time the kids would be in their own class.

"Okay, go get washed up and I'll start breakfast. Eren, let Mikasa pick her own clothes out today. Remember what Armin said?"

"Yes, Levi," Eren mumbled, unhappy. Mikasa frowned, but Levi caught her eye, shaking his head lightly. She bit her lip, and he ruffled her hair.

Eren didn't even tense. To Levi, that said more than anything. The thin, pale scars reflected in the overhead light, confirming his gut feeling.

Things would never quite be okay. But, they could be close enough. As close as the mismatched family could be.

**Author's Note:**

> **[Find me on Tumblr!](annoyinglittletwit.tumblr.com) **
> 
> I will be tracking the tags  
> fic: As Close As They Could; series: Tumblr Fic Requests ; series: TFR


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